1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information editing devices and the like that edit information of a plurality of characters or images.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, editing of information of characters, images or the like that are used, for example, in the publication of mainly media such as books, magazines, or catalogs, is performed using, for example, software known as desktop publishing (hereinafter, referred to as DTP) software (for example, see Non-patent Document 1), DTP devices or systems that can realize similar processing, or the like.
For example, in editing of information in this sort of DTP software or the like, work is often performed by setting a desired size frame in advance, called a frame or box, for placing characters or images at desired positions of each page according to the content of the information to be edited or the like, and afterward flowing characters or images into this frame. After the design of the placement of characters or images has been decided in this manner, by flowing in characters or images, it is possible, in a well-planned and efficient manner, to display information as a whole in an organized manner, to display a plurality of pieces of information with a sense of unity, and to display information with the relationship between pieces of information made clear, and it is possible to create publications that are easily viewed and have excellent communicability of information. For example, with this sort of method, when for example creating a product catalog, it is possible to decide in advance positions at which product names will be listed, positions at which functions or the like of each product will be listed, or the like for a page on which products are listed, and it is possible to provide a catalog that has a unified design across a plurality of pages, is easy to view, an in which products are easy to find.
[Non-Patent Document 1]
“Adobe InDesign—Product Overview”, [online], Adobe Systems Incorporated, [searched Aug. 24, 2005], Internet (URL: http://www.adobe.co.jp/products/indesign/overview.html)
However, in the conventional technology, because the size of characters or images to be placed is set in advance, when they cannot be fit into the frame due to an increase in characters or an enlargement of an image displayed in the frame, there is the problem that the portion of the characters or images that cannot fit are not displayed.
Also, when characters or images that were displayed in the frame have been deleted, due to only a area in which nothing is displayed remaining, there is the problem that unnecessary space is generated. For example, when this sort of information is output with a printer or the like, there is a risk of outputting a wasted page that does not include data, and that pages or the like will be output that are difficult to read due to much unnecessary space and have poor communicability of information.
Also, there are instances when, according to the content output into the frame, it is desired to modify the attributes or the like of information that is output into another frame. For example, in a description in a frame that outputs a product description, only when it is stated that that product is a new product, it is desired that the color of characters in a frame that outputs a heading for that product is set to red. In such a case as well, it is necessary to modify the characters of the heading after the user has read the description in the frame and judged whether or not that product is a new product. When, in this manner, according to the output content in the frame, the user has attempted to modify the attributes or the like of information that is output into another frame, all work needs to be done manually, which takes an inordinate amount of time, so there is the problem of poor work efficiency.